Chilling in Cha Am

After a great couple of days exploring Phetchaburi city we made the hour bus trip to Cha Am.

The old town of Phetchaburi
Taking in the sights
Coffee time to recharge

We have been in Cha Am for almost a week and loving the slow pace of life in this coastal town approx 200km south of Bangkok.

Week day rush hour on the main beach street
View from coffee shop after a shower of rain.
Great digs down this little street just off from the beach
Pool to ourselves most of the time
Still amazes us after all the years of coming to Asia how the sparkies operate
Another day at the office
More street sellers

Oh and the food. How we have missed the food stalls in Thailand.

Breakfast
Lunch
Quick takeaway coffee
More food
Ice cream……
Bit more action in the weekends with Thai holidaymakers visiting this delightful town.
Morning Cha Am

We will be here until Thursday chilling out before making our way to Hua Hin.

Bangkok – great to be back

From the moment we stepped off the plane in Bangkok we were given the warmest welcome including the friendliest greeting from the immigration staff. Certainly great to be back in the “land of smiles”.

4 nights exploring Lat Krabang in Bangkok. Interesting masks are no longer mandatory but everyone wears them all the time. They will even put a mask on when on when riding a scooter but not a helmet………safety priorities……??!

First coffee in Bangkok
Noodle soup
We love noodle soup
Brekkie on the river
Great hotel on the river

Life on the river canals.

View from hotel room

WE FOUND LEO.

Been 3 years since we with with our friend Leo

After a great few days in Bangkok we hit the road yesterday. Getting used to being backpackers again not cycle tourists is strange especially yesterday catching a Songtheow to the train station, 2 trains, a taxi, and a bus to Phetchaburi where we arrived yesterday……… Not without drama though.

Songtheow to the train station
Ready for the bus ride

3/4 into the journey a terrible noise from under the bus right under where I was sitting. Driver pulled over and the exhaust had half fallen off.

Driver inspecting the exhaust

One kick of the exhaust to break it off and we are back on the road with the new passenger. No one seemed the slightest but concerned. Got to love travel in Thailand.

Exhaust now riding in the aisle

Here in Phetchaburi for two nights before onto the costal town of Cha Am tomorrow. The Thai public holidays and long weekend will then be over so things will be quieter when we arrive.

Fun times with fab friends in Brisbane

How good to be back travelling again and catching up with great friends we haven’t seen in over 3 years.

On the train from Brisie to Redcliffe
Loved catching up with Reg and Di. How time flys since we met you guys in 1998 when the boys worked together.
Redcliffe chilling out
Two great weekends of rugby watching with Rhys and Paul, and catching up on the good old Gold Coast days late 90s early 2000s.
The lads a few beers in, just like the GC rugby days and our days flatting with Paul.
Hanging with Apollo, who would have thought the Nevs would get a soft spot for pets, especially this dog of Susies.
Chilling at Susies.

Thanks so much for having us stay Susie, we loved every minute of it.

Birthday celebrations with Susie and her school mate Kylie. Great times Susie like 25 years ago when we met working at Sanctuary Cove.
Thanks for the cocktails Kylie and your family BBQ, great laughs and we can’t wait to do it all again when we see you soon.
Thanks Paul for the early morning lift to the airport.
Now time for the adventure to begin. Asia here we come……

Huge thanks to Susie and our Aussie friends for the most awesome hospitality, laughs and trips down memory lane.

Farewell Nelson

Well the end of another chapter has arrived. Covid put an end to the Nevs being nomadic, however that is about to change. This is the longest we have been in one spot since 2003 and who would have thought we would end up being in Nelson living in the most awesome tiny house for 3 1/2 years.

Work is done and dusted for now and farewell Nelson………but we will be back.

Continue reading “Farewell Nelson”

Happy New Year

The crazy Covid world we are currently all living in has put the overseas travel as we knew it on hold for the past 2 years. We miss our Asia adventures so much, however, we are fortunate to be stuck in paradise close to family and friends and currently planning the next chapter.

Today we got out on Betty and Nancy for some fun in the sun.

Happy New Year everyone and best wishes for 22. Watch this space for The Nomadic Nevs next chapter coming soon.

Great night & magic day 3 of riding from Hans Bay to Kumara = 50km

Great times in Hans Bay last night staying in the tiny big house.

No problem sleeping last night for everyone and a few loud snorers keeping the village of Hans Bay awake. Good hearty brekki before the pedals were turning.

Day 2 – Hokitika to Hans Bay + side trip to Dorothy Falls = 38km

Great night out last night in Hoki, and awesome to have Donna and Scott joining us.

Lovely digs in Hans Bay. Another awesome day of riding.

Stunning West Coast

3rd time for The Nevs riding the West Coast Wilderness Trail and it gets better every time. This time we have friends joining us so double the fun with Andy and Mandy and soon to be triple the fun when Alex and Chris join us tonight and start riding with us tomorrow.

Departing Nelson – Saturday 1st May

The boys cooking us up a good bike touring brekki this morning

Then loading up Betty and Nancy for Day 1 of riding.

Ross to Hokitika 36km

Ross beach and ready for action

Family Fun Day

Well what a fun day that was with all the family.  Awesome 52km ride from Spooners Tunnel to Mapua meeting the non riders along the way.

Early start to get the bikes loaded out to the Spooners Tunnel.

Thanks Michael and Kiwi Journeys for a great trip out to the tunnel with the informative commentary.

Here goes start of the tunnel. Lights fully charged ready for the 1.3km

Blazed it downhill to Wai-iti domain

First stop Wakefield bakery where Mum and Dad the support crew were making sure there were enough pies for us.

On through the hops to the Grape Escape for lunch.

All the tribe for lunch, to refuel
Through the Waimea estuary on to Rabbit Island
Made it…….!!!
Karen chilling after her record bike ride day

Well that was a super fun day. Well done team……!

52km fun in the sun today

Enjoying our staycation on our 3 days off and this morning we got a shuttle from Nelson out to the Spooners tunnel. The longest disused rail tunnel in the southern hemisphere.

Despite having ridden it 4 times the claustrophobia kicked in and that didn’t help with the light on my bike not working! Thought I was going to come unstuck during the 1.35km but happy to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Betty and Nancy getting ready for the tunnel
Here goes……

Out the other side and wow what a huge improvement in the surface  of the trail since last time we did the ride.  Smashed the other side of the tunnel, blazed through the hop farms which are expanding by the day, onwards through Wakefield then time for a rest in Brightwater.

Loving riding through the hops and this section of the trail is stunning.
Rest stop in Brightwater

The strong northerly made for a tough day of riding but the Maccas ice cream reward was well worth it.

A few mechanical issues with Betty but all sorted after realising the derailleur was missing a bolt!!!! Handy Andy had a spare so all fixed.

Awesome day out and fantastic ride on our door step.